Wire connectors are typically plastic cone shaped devices that are open at one end to receive electrical wires. The interior of such cone shaped devices are threaded or contain a helical coil spring that they may be twisted onto the ends of electrically conductive wires. The ends of the wires are stripped of their insulation and twisted together. The connector is twisted on the ends of the wires to secure the electrical connection between the wires.
Devices for attaching wire connectors are available and known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,527 describes an automatic wire connector attaching apparatus which includes an elongated housing having an inlet for receiving the connectors and an outlet for discharging the connectors. The connectors are received in a rotatable but axially fixed hollow drive shaft. A concentric sleeve, which surrounds the drive shaft, is axially movable towards the outlet by manually operated cam means. Such axial movement causes a plurality of fingers secured to one end of the sleeve to grip a connector located adjacent the outlet. An electric motor rotates the drive shaft and the sleeve, causing wires inserted through the outlet to twistably engage to one another and secure to the threaded inner surface of the connector.
Having to obtain a separate tool that can only perform a single function, namely, automatically attaching wire connectors, is costly and unnecessary when other existing tools may be adapted to perform the same function. Therefore, it is an object to provide an apparatus that is capable of being attached to any rotating means, such as a drill or a rotary tool, for securing wire connectors onto electric wires.